Signal system.



BESTAVAILABLE Cop `Patented July 30,1901.

No. 629,310. J. L'. HALL.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

. v (Application le-dgeb. 1B, 1899.) Y

v4 Sheets-Sheet l.

(Ho Nudel.)

tirarmi?- A' BEST AVAILABLE COP,

Pater-sied )uw 30 i1. i.. HLL.

.SGNL SYSTEM.

11mm-Miou med Feb. 16, 1899.)`

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

BEST AVAILABLE COP".

N0. 679,3!0. Patented July 30, 190|. y

L. HALL. SIGNAL SYSTEM.

(Appuwmn med nb. xe, 1899.) A (No lodal.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. Y

John L. Hau,

BEST AVAILABLE' COP- .L I... HALL.

SIGNAL SYSTEM. (Application filed Feb. 16, 1890.;

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 (No Model.)

bv. 31 xnfm. v xo. xm Jm l. b .xm SY am BEST AVAILABLE COP.

` UNITED STATES' PATErVr` OFFICE.l

JOHN L. IIALL, OF CHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO'TllE GNERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NE'W YORK..

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 679,310, dated July 30, 1901. Y I' Applloltlon filed February 16, 1899. Serial No."705.664. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.: v

Be it known that I, JOHN L. IIAL-L, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scheneetad y, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have vinvented certain new and'useful Improvements in Signal Systems, (Case No. 912,) of which the following is a. specification.

/Tbe present invention relates to signal systems such as are in use upon warships or ships of the merchantmarine. y j

The system which I have devised-is an improvement uponthose which have been heretofore used, particularly -for night signaling. In commonvwith prior devices it employs incandescent lamps arranged in different coinbinations of position and colorto indicate arbitrarily letters of the alphabet or other signs according to a prearranged code'.

" My inventionlmproves upon 'all existing systems with .which I am familiar in several respects. Itis compact, simple, not liable to get out of order, and certain in its operation, allof which 'are great desiderata.

In the form herein illustrated it consists of the usual'eom'bination of four lanterns, in

each of which is a red and awhite lamp. The

circuitwires of the lamp are led in a cable to a stand and are there connected toa set of collector-rings arranged horizontally, with suitable interposed insulation. A .box incloses a set of keys e'ontrollingswitches, which are connected to the collector 'rings ,by brushes, so that thewholc apparatus may be revolved conveniently upon the top of the stand. The switches serve to arrange the lanterns in the predetermined connection. The keyboard resembles in general a typewriter keyboard, except that each key controls a. switch and an interlocking means is used, so that when one key is depressed no other combination can be formed until that key is permitted to resume its original position and open its circuits, thus greatly reducing-the risk of displaying erroneous signals by. improper manipulation. The keyboard is removable and can be lifted out of the box, having,r automatic separable contacts by which proper circuits are established and broken. The keys are arranged in a number of .parallel rows, of which in the present embodiment of the invention there are two. .The inter1 .termined order.

transferring'themotion fromonerowof balls` to 4 the other, so that as those in one row arev spread apartv by the depression o f `vthe plunger those in the other are brought together..

This is conveniently effected by one or more levers, which will be more fully'described hereinafter. In this particular my improved keyboard dillers from all with whicl I am acqnainted, all those which have used this form oi interlock heretofore having been ar- 7o ranged in a circle or otherwise, so that only a single set of balls might be used. Th'e circular form is nndnlylargc and does not lend itselfto ready and rapid manipulation, such as is often required. In combination with this apparatus I employ an incandescent lamp so arranged `within the lid that it sheds light directly upon the keyboard. lVth this is connected a suitable switch, so that when the lid is closed the lamp is cut outof opera- 8o tion, avoidingr waste of current and risk of overheating.

The whole apparatus is portable and is so arranged that it may be lifted from the stand intact, siiding contacts being vprovided by which when the keyboard is pnt in placel in any one o-a number of standsfwhicb may be vlocated in diilerent parts oi' a ship, the connections are automatically established in dc- I also provide in addition 9o to the usual keys a winker orauxiliary key, by means of which one or more of the lamps 4may be extinguished and relighted, thus indieating a repetition of any given signal as may be desired, at the same time holding,r the key which establishes the signal in its d epressed position. 'Each of the keys is so arrangedthat the signai established by it may be held for as long as is necessary by simply locking the key. lIeretofore this has been loo accomplished by various mechanisms which it was necessary t0 shift in order to hold the BEST AVAILABLE o oP.

key in its depressed position. I have improved, however, upon these drvices by so arranging the key that when rotated slightly it will 'be held downfor as long as may be necessary.

My invention also relates to a number oi' details of construction tending to render the device more compact and less liable to be deranged. In addition I have devised an exceedingly simple and convenient snap-switch adapted for the interruption of circuits of moderate potential without arcing and the consequentl desti-notion of contacts, which Vzo as shown, forinstance, at Il, Fig. 1.

forms part/of the present invention.

The drawings annexed showa signal set constructed according;r to my invention. It is of course understood that there may be many variations of details without departing from the invention and that many of its features. might be used in other combinations.

Figure 1 is a top view, partly broken away, showing the keyboard of the device and the construction of 'the switches. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a part of the keyboard, showing Fig.` 3 is an endv elevation of -the keyboard, all 'of theseviews also the interlockinguneans.

showingfthe keyboard removed from its stand. Fig. 4` is a side elevation: partly in section, of the stand upon which. the signaling device is placed. Fig. 5 is a plan of the apparatus. Fig. 6 shows in enlarged view the details of the sliding connections between the stand and the keyboard. Fig; 6 shows aside elevation of one of ythe brushes used in Fig.' 6. ""'Fitn '7 isa diagram offth'e circuits, and Fig. S is a ends of the plate are mounted levers K K, (one of which is shown in dotted lilies in Fig. l and i'nlside elevation in Fig. i in full lines, pivoted at k and carrying upon cach end balls K K'. The operation o'fthis part of' the` device,

. though sufficiently well understood, is briclly as follows:v lVhen any key is pressedfor example, H' iu Fig. l-theL plunger displaces thc balls at each side and the expansion in thelower raceway is transf erred by means of thc levers K K to the other raceway, bringing the' balls together, so that no other" key than the one already down may be depressed.

Each key :is it is depressed by means of a lug 1', secured to its plunger ll`-, forces down the circuit-making contact lf" ot thc jsnapswitch into engagement with thc contacts 13. (Seen best in Figs. .l and il.) tends to press up thc plunger when it is rcleased and the spring` 1F forces up the switchblade l2. The lnglr I' being cut away at i3 On the' Figs. 4 and 5)l is opened. arranged, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, that the The spring i" leaves a lostonotion connection, and the friction of the spring-contacts i3 is sulicicnt to retain the switclrblade l2 in position until the lugr I engages with the latter to release it. As soon, however, as the friction of the spring-contacts' i3 is overcome. the spring 'i2 snaps open the'switeh. The switch is carried upon a standard l, secured to thel lllatc F.-

Four of the contacts I3 are bridged by each of ihe contacts l2, and each one establishes a dit! ferent circui., as will presently be described in considering Fig. 7. lt' it be desired to hold any signal for a longer period than is cou-` venient to hold down the key by hand, (as when it is intended to leave an order standing until the return of Vthe operator foe` fur# ther. instructions or in some such ci utingeney,) any one of the buttons may be depressed until the pin h3, passing throughthe plunged-112, is in line with the slot 'L' in the standard I carrying,r the switch, into whichit can pass by turning the button. ton l-l is sleeved over the head of the plunger, and a slot 71.2 registers with a-.pin in the plun# ger,` so that the button will turn the latter as desired. A quarter-turn of the button thus fastens down the switch, and th'esignal -remains set until the button is again--turndloS By making the buttons removable.tronrthcj plu ngers it is possible. to makeichanges intim'.

code or cipher system in a convenient way. If desired, letters or, numbers may be im,-V

printed npon thc'buttons, while the lamp combination will ordinarily be shown upon the plate E adjacent to each button. As the buttons bearing the letters or numbers 'may be shifted from one plunger to another, the set may be thus readily adapted to diterent Codescr ciphcrs, as may be required@ Forl instance, in naval warfare if a certain signal system has beeirin use'for some time it may become desirable to change it so that it may not be deciphered by the enemy. In this case the buttons may be shittedon the plungers and a corresponding,r change made through- 1 out the fleet.

In Fig. 1 l have tions of one or two ofthe switches, but 'have not deemed it necessary to show them all. In

shown the lampv combina IIC this ligure, for instance, the open-circles adjacent to the selected buttons indicate the white lamps which will shew, and the black circles indicate the red lamps Atlamp G' is inclosed within the hood G. A spring G2 l opens the hood whenever the Cover 'l (sce operating-spring Gli-cau. raise it only to a defi# nite, position where the flattened corner (seen at the left of the pivot in Fig. 3) bears aga-inst the base, in which position the llight of the lamp is shed forwardly on the keyboard, but its rays are obstructed from the eye of'the operator. A switch X is provided which open-circuits .the leads G3 of the lamp whenever the cover of the hood'Gis pressed down,"

so that the lamp will not burn. A luga: upon A hood is also so BEST'VAILABLE *co'P' the inside of the hood copemiswith' the plunger m of the switch and open-circuits the. contacts .frz az? when the hood .G is lowered. Suitable bushings h are secured in the plate E, and these magr be of insulation or of metal, according to the requirements. wirepasses through the pla-te, they would-be of insulation, but ordinarily may b of metal.

Referring n owv to Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 6", in addition to Figs'. 1, 2, and 3, it will be seen that fixed contacts M are provided upon the back of the box 'in which the keyboard is disposed A and contacts L are attached to the keyboard.

By suitable circuit connections, which it is unnecessary in the mechanical views to illustrate, (as they are Well understood and would onlyconfuse the 'drawings,) each of the switches H, which in the diagram of circuits 'arenumbered consecutively from 1 to 15, is connected to one or the other of these contacts. The contacts Mare kept in circuit, whatever may be the position of the top of the apparatus upon itsstand, by means of the brushes Y, (seen best in Figs. 6 and 6%) each of which'rests upon one or the other of the collecting-rings S toS. These brushes are of theform shown in Eig. 6, where they are,

illustrated inside elevation, because by this form they may berrevolved in either direction -with the most.. facility. Positive and negative wiresinclosed in the cable R electrically connect the stand with the source of supply.

'I One of these wires leads to the center con- .tact S ofthe setff collector-rings and the other to one'of the outside contacts S9. The other contacts are respectively connected to the different lamps, as will presently be described, the stand P being made hollow to ac- .commodate the wires, those passing to the lamps being'collected in the cable Qin the usua1/manner,and water-tight fastenings of any convenient form'being arranged at the that it may be conveniently attached to the ba'ek or other support. The top T is provided with a packing' under the flange and 'may be secured by the' bolts it, thus mais` operating two different contacts. Y

Fig. 7 shows the circuits by which the signals are made. A B C D are the lanterns, in which' a a2 b b2, rif-c., are theflamps. In the ordinary constructions of such lanterns the lower lamp is red and the upper one white. 1t will be observed b y tracing the circuits that no lantern at any time has both lamps lighted. The rows of contacts shown at S Y are those indicated by'similar letters in the Where aV out in full tho system of connections, but' one of them will be traced, the others being apparent. All of the switches are constantly alive by a connection from the source of current through the fuse U and center contacts S Y. From this connection a branch passes through the lamp, returning to the contact S, and thence out by the negative lead. The switch X in the upper part of the drawings is the cut-out operated by the lid or hood. Assume, for instance, that the key l is depressed.- It will he foubd by tracing the connections that` the four lower lamps are connected, so that all four lanterns show red. From the contact on the right (indicated by the right-hand circle) the lead passes by the center wire of the group to contact S", thence through'tbe lamp a2, and out at the negative lead, a common negative return being pro'- vided for all thelamps. Similarly the lead from the second contact passes through contact S', thence through the lamp b2, and out. The lead from the third contact at the switch passes through contact S4, through the lamp C2, and o'ut, and from the fourth contact the lead passes through contact SB, .through the lamp d2, and out. It will be observed that one contact at least of each .of the switches either'in the upper or the lower row is connected to one of the wires leading through the-switch W on the left of the diagram of circuits. The lower wile through this switch 'controls-the circuit'f the lamp d', the upper loo l IOS IIO

wire of the lamp d2. Thus it will be seen that the winler W ,will bedepressed and the.

lantern D will blink. The lamps in all of these lanterns are so arranged that they cool almost instantly when extinguished, so that the operation may be performed with con: siderable speedand still be entirely clear. OE course it is perfectly possible to make all of the lanterns or any selected number actin the same way, if desired, and this would be within my invention.

What l claim as new, and desire to lsecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a marine signaling set, the combination of a fixed stand containing circuit connections with a group of signaling devices, corresponding terminals for the several devices in the stand, a keyboard rotatable on BEST AVAILABLl-E ooi-22- the stand, and means for'prcserving the connections during rotation, an independent set of connections l r the signaling devices be.

tween the keyboard and the rotatable connecton, anda joint permitting the keyboard to be separated at said independent connections. A

2. The combination with the removable keyboard, of the separable contacts between the keyboard and the box containing it and an independent set of connections with the signal-stand.

3. In a signal system,`a keyboard having two rows of buttons with plungers extending to switches beneath thesnrface of the board, two sets of balls in raceways, one under each ysot of keys or buttons, and levers at the end of the keyboard for transferring the motion ,of one set of v nails to the other, the whole so arranged' that wh'euany key is depressed,

the balls are all pressed into contact in both rows, so that no other key may 'be depressed l, `u ntil the first one is released.

4. Ina signaling system, .the cdmbination ofv a' group of signaling devices, spring-retractedl keys monnted 'on a keyboard yfor ecnnecting 'said devices in dierent signaling'relatons, means for disabling all other keys when one is operated,`and a lock at the keyboard for holding any desired key in signaling relation. y

'5. The combination of a keyboard, a pinrality of keys,a plurality of yielding devices permitting said keys to be operated one at at-ime, each having suicient lost motion or slack to accommodate the movement of one key, and connections between the several devices whereby the slack inail is taken up when ,'that of .any onejis taken np. by a. key correspending theret'.v l

6'. The combination of `a keyboard, a pluralityof rows of solid bodies supported' looselyj l in frames to admit the insertion of a wedge keys for controlling thevarious circuits so as to connect the signal devices in diti'erent or ders Vand interlocking means preventing the operation of more than one of the keys at a time, of an auxiliary key free from the intelocking means, by which one or more of the lamps may be made to blink.

8. The combination with a keyboard, oa signal-transmitter, anelectric lamp, for illnrninating the same, a tilting hood or cover therefor, and means for lifting the cover to illumine the board when the latter is uncovered. 1

f). In a signal set, the combination of but tons removable from the key mechanism, a rotatable key-stem controlling a signal device, and a joint between the' key and stem permitting both depression and rotation ot the latter.

10. In a signaling system, the combination of elastieally-mounted depressible keys, a

' switch controlled by each key comprising a spring-retracted pivoted arm carrying a metallic bridge, a group of terminals connected with the signaling deviccsgand controlled by lhe'bridge, a loose connection permitting return of the key to its initial position independcntly of the bridge, and means for retarding the return of the bridge.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto set-my hand this 13th day of February, 1899.

JOHN L. HALL. lVitnesses:

,13. B. HULL,

M. E. JACOBSON. 

